


You are Beautiful, like I've Never Seen

by naw2702



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Barry bluejeans is a disaster, F/M, Masquerade Ball Au, Nonbinary Barry Bluejeans, Nonbinary Character, That may change, Trans Female Character, Trans Lup (The Adventure Zone), blupjeans, i don't know how to tag, if you really squint, taagnus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naw2702/pseuds/naw2702
Summary: What if before the Starblaster crew left, there was a masquerade ball thrown in their honor? And what if Barry and Lup loved each other before cycle 47? What if the author just really likes the idea of a Cinderella style story involving blupjeans but it is still slow burn?
Relationships: Barry Bluejeans/Lup, Magnus Burnsides/Taako (background)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 8





	1. Barry gets really nervous, like incredibly nervous

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for clicking on this
> 
> I based this story off the tag on tik tok (it's masqueradeblupjeans btw)
> 
> I want to thank Em for giving me time to start this officially, hope you enjoy this
> 
> Also the tags and such will update as I finish this and the work's title is from Heart by Sleeping at Last

Barry didn’t like big parties, they were loud and he had to wear clothes that tended to make him uncomfortable. But this one was being thrown in his honor, as well as his six crewmates. He had yet to meet them and wasn’t sure if he would tonight, seeing as he was attending a masquerade ball. Part of him was excited, he had found a nice tuxedo for the night, dark blue denim and very soft, and a nice black mask for the night. He found a pair of contacts so he would be able to see that night and his friend Nic would be helping him apply some makeup. But he was aware there would be too many people attending and he would not be able to control the music volume so he was anxious, to say the least. 

Barry jumped when he heard the knock at his door, but upon inspection, he realized it was Nic. Their hair was up in a braided bun and their mask on, barely exposing their well-done makeup. They pulled their mask up and inspected Barry. He shuffled his feet as he felt the weight of their gaze. He was in his suit and holding his mask, awaiting their guidance. They looked at him and gestured to the chair as they set their bag down. 

“So, brain boy, how does it feel to get to go places we could only dream of?” Nic asked, teasing as they applied his contour.

“Well, enby idiot, maybe if you used your brain right, you’d know,” Barry said, clearly trying to stop his anxiety from overtaking him. Nic took pity on him and began to ramble, knowing he needed sounds he can refrain from focusing on. 

Time flew by, Nic applying different products, the end look having cool eyeliner with gold eyeshadow. Barry added his mask and the two left for the ball. They had their hand on Barry’s shoulder as they reminded him that they would be there if they needed space. The two entered the ball, soon to be separated. 

Barry lost Nic pretty early into the ball, which resulted in him wandering around, watching the people dancing. Someone in a long red gown with gold accents and golden hair caught his eye, moving with the grace of a falling snowflake and with the fluidity of water. Her dress caught the light, reflecting it like a prism. Barry watched her dancing, small rainbows dancing on the floor with her, mesmerized by her beauty and grace. Barry stood in awe, fully focusing on her. 

Well, he was, until she noticed his staring. Barry felt heat rising up his neck and ears as he looked at the floor and shuffled away. As he shuffled out, he bumped into a very well built man in a red dress shirt and black slacks. He had a few smaller scars on his face with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He smiled a large warm smile and held out his hand for Barry to shake. Barry shook his hand, a firm grip with calloused hands. “Hey, my name is Magnus, I am a member of the Starblaster.”

Barry was struggling to focus, the sound becoming a bit overwhelming but Barry realized what Magnus’ statement meant as he introduced himself. “Hello, I am Barry Bluejeans, I am also a member of the Starblaster crew.” 

Magnus’ smile seemed to grow bigger if that was physically possible. “Ah, a crewmember, amazing. Would you like to meet the few others I have run into tonight?” Magnus asked, seeming so genuinely kind, which Barry feel bad for having to excuse himself.

“Magnus, I am really sorry, I just need some air. I will find you in a few minutes though if that is ok?” Barry explained, fearful he was going to begin rambling from his anxiety. Barry wasn’t sure if it was socially acceptable to explain that he deals with sensory overload and that the noise was starting to suffocate him. Magnus nodded, seeming to understand as Barry pushed through to find a balcony or a door to a separate room, anything without people at this point.

Barry found a door to the outside, letting out at the gardens. There were few people outside which helped Barry calm down and breathe easier. He stood out there, cool night air filling his lungs, the smell of dew hung around him. Barry stood there breathing and relaxing, staring at the moons and enjoying the stars until someone tapped him on the shoulder and startled him.

Lup was excited, she loved parties and balls. This one was being put on in her honor as well. Lup watched her brother get ready for the ball, his blue and purple cape swishing around him as he moved around. Lup looked down at her red dress with gold accents and felt her excitement returning. She finished applying her makeup and helping Taako apply his makeup as well. Taako’s silver stars sparkled on his cape as he finished doing his makeup giving a turn to show off the look. The twins looked at each other, giggled, then left for the ball. Lup put on her black and gold mask and Taako his blue and silver one. 

The twins arrived, finding their way to the food quickly. Well, Taako did. Lup was on her way and got distracted by the music. She found her way to the dance floor and began to move with the music. She danced for a while, eventually being joined by a human and a dwarf. The dwarf introduced himself as Merle and the human as Magnus. She smiled as they continued having fun. Lup quickly learned that Magnus and Merle were on the Starblaster with her. She had fun with them until Magnus excused himself to go meet more people. She continued dancing until she caught the gaze of a man on the sidelines. He seemed nervous and immediately looked down and seemed to move on. 

Eventually, Lup found her way to her brother and found him talking to Magnus quite animatedly. So she decided to head outside and get some air. She walked outside to the gardens and wandered for a bit. While she was doing this, she happened upon a man in a dark blue suit. He was looking at the sky and looked kind of familiar. She tapped on his shoulder, intending to introduce herself to him. But he seemed to tense up in fear before turning his head. She realized he was the man in the ballroom who had been staring at her. He seemed nervous so she stuck out her hand and said, “Hail and well met, I am Lup.”

He seemed to relax and smiled as he replied, “Hello, I am Sildar.”


	2. Fantasy High School Musical 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lup smiled then said, “Understandable. Hey, do you dance at all?”
> 
> Sildar looked at her in fear then said, “I do not dance, and that’s not just a quote Fantasy High School Musical 2.”
> 
> Lup laughed then asked, “Do you want to learn to dance? I can teach you out here.”
> 
> Sildar smiled then said, “I am going to step on your toes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look at that, consistent posting, wonder what that is like
> 
> Again, thank you Em for going live and listening to me talk about my story
> 
> Enjoy!!! :)

Barry stared at Lup and began to wonder why he had given her his birth name. But it was too late, her bright green eyes lit up and she looked like she wanted to laugh. He appreciated her trying to be polite but knew that his old name is ridiculous. 

“You are allowed to laugh at it, I know it is ridiculous,” Barry said, a bit too anxious to fix his mistake.

That was the breaking point and Lup began to laugh, it wasn’t a dainty laugh but loud and wheezy and somehow fit her. As she squeaked from the wheezing, Barry felt a laugh bubbling in his chest and began to laugh with her. 

After a bit, she held a hand to her chest and tried to catch her breath before saying, “I apologize but that name is a bit ridiculous and that is saying something. My brother’s name is Taako.” 

Barry chuckled and said, “I mean that certainly is something. It is a family name and not really my choice.” 

‘I mean mine was a choice,” Lup said. Barry knew he was confused and it was showing on his face because Lup then explained, “I am transgender”

“Ah, makes sense, same here. I just haven’t found my name. I assume the pronouns are she/her.”

“You would be correct and yours?” Lup asked, curiosity evident on her face.

“He/him work, I have no actual preference,” Barry said, trying to not ramble.

Lup smiled, which was odd to Barry but he accepted it, he didn’t pretend to know about social cues. “So, Sildar, what is your favorite color?”

Sildar was clearly caught off guard, a cute look on him. “Uh..um...I like blue, dark blue,” Sildar fumbled, “What about you Lup?”  
She smiled, taking in his outfit then said, “Green.” Sildarlooked her up and down, looking at her outfit confused. “That’s a joke, Sildar, I actually really like red,” Lup answered, her smile clear in her voice.

“Ok, if we are going to be playing Fantasy 20 questions, it is my turn. You can only eat one food for the rest of your life, what is it?” Sildar asked, opening up a bit and becoming more visibly comfortable.

“Well, honestly, I make a mean souffle,” Lup said after considering it for a while.

“Interesting, I would eat salads,” Sildar said, with an odd look that Lup barely took in before beginning her onslaught of criticism.

“What do you mean salads? Of all of the delicious foods in the world and the ones in the other planes, you’d choose salads?!?” Lup questioned, quite passionately.

In an instant Lup recognized the look in Sildar’s face, she had seen it many times on herself and her twin, mischievous. The look made her want to smack him. But as this realization came to her, Sildar began to explain, “Salad is basically just different foods one food group cut up and mixed together to create one dish, so by that logic, all foods can be created into salads and now I get to eat all the foods without breaking the rules.”

Lup was impressed with the thought he had put into this answer and was thorough. Suddenly a question came to her, “If you were a shampoo, what would your scent be and why?” 

“Oh, uh, probably apple, it is a pleasant and comforting scent and I like to think I have that type of impact on lives,” Barry answered, honestly.

“Oh, very interesting, I think I would be strawberry because I just really like the smell of it,” Lup said.

“Very interesting, so deep thought is definitely not your strong suit,” Sildar teased. Lup knew he was teasing her because of that mischievous smile. That dumb smile made Lup feel butterflies in her stomach. She wasn’t sure where they came from or why he was making her feel them, but it wasn’t an entirely unpleasant feeling. 

Lup and Barry were walking through the garden. Barry looked at Lup, the moonlight streaming down her face, making everything about her seem ethereal and otherworldly. Her cheekbones shone and her eyes glittered, looking like a gorgeous marble statue. She was beautiful, not in a way that seemed unattainable but in a way that she deserved to be cherished. He wanted to be the one to cherish her. That realization hit him like a brick to the face, just like the wall he ran into while walking with her. 

Barry took a step back, dazed, as Lup looked at him and tried to hide her laugh behind her hand. Barry checked his glasses and upon realizing they were fine, began to laugh at himself and said, “Well, someone has added a wall since the last time I was here.”

Like the straw that broke the camel’s back, suddenly Lup was laughing again. Barry smiled, appreciating that he was the reason she was smiling. 

The two continued walking as the night grew cooler, conversation flowing between the two of them. It was the kind of conversation that seemed so mundane but was treasured by both members of the conversation. The kind of conversation where you don’t know how long you’ve been talking but you suddenly become aware when something big happens.

The big thing that happened, was Lup’s twin showing up. Like a comet, he showed up, a blur of color and light. Taako made his beeline towards his sister. Upon his arrival, he noticed she was talking with a guy in a denim tuxedo. He stopped in his tracks and decided to not question the fashion choices, but instead share his news with his sister. He pulled Lup aside and said, “So, who’s the hunk you’re with?”

“Shut up, Taako!” Lup whisper shrieked, “His name is Sildar and let him be, he’s really nice and funny, I like talking with him.”

Taako’s face out into a big grin, the type that meant that there would a lot of teasing later. Lup shoved her brother back towards the ballroom. He made some gestures at her as he walked back towards the ballroom. 

Lup turned back to Sildar and smiled as she said, “Brothers, can’t kill them legally.”

Sildar chuckled, “Oh I get that, though I do not have any siblings, I have plenty of friends and they became like siblings to me.”

Lup smiled then said, “Understandable. Hey, do you dance at all?”

Sildar looked at her in fear then said, “I do not dance, and that’s not just a quote Fantasy High School Musical 2.”

Lup laughed then asked, “Do you want to learn to dance? I can teach you out here.”

Sildar smiled then said, “I am going to step on your toes.”

Lup smiled at him then replied, “It’s fine, I did it to my partner the first time I learned. You’ll be fine, we will probably just work on moving with a rhythm, dancing isn’t just slow dancing. It’s also Fantasy Macarena and Fantasy Cupid Shuffle.” With that punctuation, Lup extended her hand to him.

Sildar chuckled and seemed to have decided he had nothing to lose, so he grabbed her hand. 

Lup looked at him, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself, his smile was large with his teeth shining in the moonlight and moon shone through his glasses, making his brown eyes light up, within them, she could see gold flecks in the iris. His eyes were alight with joy and he was smiling so widely that Lup was almost entranced. They were just moving together, moving in sync and with the music, enjoying themselves. 

Time flew by for these two, they were like dandelion fuzz, moving through the wind, not gracefully but together. Their laughter was confined to their little area of the garden, but their joy emanated from them, with a large vicinity. They were together and time didn’t exist for them. 

Slow dancing, they were slow dancing in the moonlight to the remnants of the music in the ballroom. It would not be called graceful by any means, Barry was learning though. Onlookers would be able to tell that there were sparks between them.

Barry stared at Lup, her eyes were glowing and she was smiling, the stars were reflecting in her eyes, enhancing her beauty. “Now what is making you blushing like a tomato?” Lup asked her tone teasing and kind.

Barry only blushed more before saying, “Nothing, a trick of the light, also we are dancing and moving.”

Lup smiled, also blushing a bit, “It is certainly one of those two things.” Barry smiled at her and they continued to dance.

They did this for a while longer, dancing and joking. Barry stealing gazes at Lup hoping she wouldn’t catch him and Lup doing the same to him. They did this dance, both the physical and the figurative, for a while; until Nic showed up. 

Barry noticed them first and alerted Lup that his friend was here. Once they had noticed that the two were done dancing, they went over. Barry waved and said, “Hello, this is Lup, and Lup this is Nic.”   
“Hello Lup,” Nic said and waved. Lup waved back, clearly a bit awkward. 

Nic sensed this and grabbed Barry’s hand to drag him away and say, “Listen, dude, I am so happy for you but if you want a ride back to your dorms, you might want to say your goodbyes. Sorry to cut this short, but we need to get back.”

Barry nodded, understanding. He turned to head back to Lup. “Lup, I have to get going, it has been lovely, we might have to find each other soon.” 

“Definitely, see you then Sildar,” Lup said, a small sad smile on her face.

Lup was by the front of the building when she noticed Sildar and his friend exiting. Once they were on the street outside, she noticed Sildar take his mask off and walk away. She tried to memorize that face, to find him on the IPRE campus and she walked inside to find Taako.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this 2nd part, I enjoyed this
> 
> Come bother me on Instagram (@nic.is.hear) and Tumblr (@atlasishere) and roast me for the mistakes that I have inevitably made
> 
> Kudos and comments give me life
> 
> Stay safe and healthy lovies
> 
> xoxo Atlas

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this, the next part should be up soon. Want to roast my writing or yell at me about random stuff, find me on Instagram (@nic.is.hear) and on Tumblr (@atlasishere) and let me know if you see mistakes
> 
> Feel free to leave kudos or comments, they make me happy and I'd die for you if you did
> 
> Stay safe and healthy
> 
> xoxo Atlas (or Nic, both work)


End file.
